LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
Hunter Spencer recorded the first win of his collegiate career on Sunday, and it didn't take the Bellarmine University baseball sophomore long to notch the second.
On Wednesday at Lee, the left-hander fired a complete-game shutout in a 4-0 victory over the Flames in the opener before the Knights fell 9-1 in the tail end of the doubleheader.
Spencer's first victory for Bellarmine (3-3) came after he threw 1.1 scoreless innings of relief in a 7-6 win over Alderson Broaddus. On Wednesday against Lee (7-8), the southpaw shifted to a starting role, allowing only four hits and one walk while striking out four in 7.0 innings.
Spencer (2-0) kept Lee off the scoreboard by not allowing the Flames to string together hits. The four they accumulated occurred in four separate innings. Spencer finished the game by retiring the last six batters, including a strikeout to seal his first college shutout.
Sophomore left fielder
Griffin Neuer, who had a walk-off RBI single and then a grand slam in Sunday's two games, maintained his hot start by going 3 for 4 with three RBIs in the opener. Neuer tripled to right center in his first at-bat and scored on senior third baseman
Cole Metcalfe's sacrifice fly.
With Spencer humming on the hill, that's all the run production Bellarmine would need. However, the Knights added a run in the third when Neuer drove in senior center fielder
Jes Staples — who singled and stole second — with a base hit.
Bellarmine scored that run with two outs and added two more runs with two outs in the seventh. Senior
Tyler Minogue delivered a pinch-hit single to get things going, Staples followed with a base hit and Neuer capped a splendid outing with a two-run single through the right side.
Aside from some effective relief work from junior right-hander
Will Birch and senior right-hander
John Hakemoller, who combined for 3.2 scoreless innings, the second game was forgettable for Bellarmine. Lee pounded out 13 hits and scored eight runs alone over the first two innings.
Junior catcher
Christopher Allen and sophomore shortstop
Drew Greenwood collected one hit apiece and Neuer added an RBI.
Bellarmine hosts Quincy in doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday. Both begin at noon (ET).
For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow us on Twitter (@BUKnights), Instagram (BUKnights) and Facebook (BUKnights).
GAME 1 BOX SCORE (HTM)GAME 2 BOX SCORE (HTM)